Somalian MPs hold presidential election in Kenya

Members of Somalia's 275 member parliament [official website] began voting Sunday for the country's interim president. The MPs, who were nominated in August, consist mainly of warlords and clan leaders. They will choose between 26 candidates [AFP report] on the ballot. Somalia has had no government since 1991 and has been overwhelmed by political corruption and civil unrest. The election is being held in Kenya because of security problems in Somalia itself. Reuters has more.

UPDATE: With voting now complete, the Somalian parliamentarians have elected as their new president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, a former army commander and president of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. BBC News provides a profile.

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